WNBA standing tall under the pressure of the test of time

Fifteen years ago, people who planted the seeds that would become the WNBA knew the story was not on his side.

Sixteen women and 16 professional leagues have been tried had failed. Indeed, while the WNBA has been growing power, a direct competitor, called the American Basketball League, was also preparing the first.

The ABL lasted two and a half years. But after a decade and a half, the WNBA is still standing. And it is strong, as Counsel tonight for his 15th season with the Los Angeles Sparks Minnesota Lynx hosts.

"The WNBA is really a flagship," said former League president Val Ackerman. "This tournament has raised some very powerful images of women and capacities of women in sport. If you look at the state women's sport in many other countries, the WNBA is just light years.

"It's something to be proud of. It is a treasure."

There is also a work in progress, an unfinished product.

The WNBA has lived for 15 years in the reality of the sports arena, which can be unforgiving for start-up niche sports and leagues.

League attendance has generally been consistent, if not overwhelming.
Teams come and go and appeared in new cities. The same can be said about the sponsors.

Teams - half of which are operated by independent owners instead of NBA teams - and say they support smaller scales and training teams.

Wages are still well below what the players playing overseas during the winter. The balance point is still the financial goal for many teams.

And coverage of the cable television network has had its ups and downs and converted into live internet for all games on schedule. Media coverage is still tiny compared with the sport, great men and credibility of the league always seems to be affected by the segment of the meat and potatoes of the mainstream sports audience.

The support of the NBA has certainly helped the "W" as they call in the office of Commissioner David Stern, the climate of the hardest days.

The recent recruitment of Laurel Richie as the third president of the WNBA, a woman without a sports background, but a boatload of experience in business and marketing, is a nod to what is necessary, if the league hears go to your 20th birthday.

But we can not deny the basketball. Basketball is simply the best in the world of women's football.

The league is loaded with international stars and the United States, the game faster and more skillfully than ever.

The young talents of the transmission for the championship, stops and more competitive and exclusionary.

San Antonio coach Dan Hughes Stars coach in the league for 10 seasons in Charlotte, Cleveland and San Antonio.

"The championship is based on a good talent, now that I've ever seen," said Hughes.

Sheryl Swoopes was one of the first three players to sign with the league in 1996. Swoopes signed with Tulsa and seeks to return to the age of 40 in the championship after an absence of two years.

"The talent level is much better today, very different than it was 14 years ago," said Swoopes.

Rebecca Lobo was also among the first trio - with Swoopes and Lisa Leslie.

Wolf is now a television analyst for ESPN broadcasts.

"I could not have imagined 15 years, but I can not imagine how a 37 year old too," said Wolf. "For those of us who were there when it all began, this is something we have not thought of as children. I do not even remember dreaming about a league for women. I wanted to play for Celtics.

"But these recruits have grown up with the championship. I'm even more proud of him because I have three girls, thought the WNBA is quite normal for them."

Normal. Assumed. Legitimate. These are big things done in the 15-year WNBA.

"You must know how many dreams have been realized and will continue to do that because it was the carrot dangling in front of girls over the past 15 years," said former All-Star Dawn Staley, now coach of the South Carolina. "If the WNBA was not possible for the past 15 years, the game would not be so good, players would not be so good, because there would be nothing to shoot for."